Shloka 40
Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana
रुक्मपृष्ठं महच्चापं भीमस्यासीद् विशाम्पते,प्रजानाथ! सुवर्णमय पृष्ठवाला भीमसेनका विशाल धनुष प्रत्यंचा खींचनेसे मण्डलाकार हो दूसरे इन्द्र-धनुषके समान प्रतीत हो रहा था। उससे जो बाण प्रकट होते थे, वे मानो आकाशको भर रहे थे
sañjaya uvāca |
rukmapṛṣṭhaṁ mahācāpaṁ bhīmasyāsīd viśāmpate |
prajānātha! suvarṇamaya-pṛṣṭhavālā bhīmasenakā viśāla-dhanuḥ pratyañcā-khīñcanena maṇḍalākāraḥ san dvitīya indradhanur iva pratīyate sma |
tasmād ye bāṇāḥ prādurabhavan te mānava ākāśaṁ pūrayanta iva ||
Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, O ruler of men—Bhīma possessed a great bow with a golden back. As Bhīmasena drew its bowstring, it curved into a perfect circle and seemed like a second rainbow. The arrows that sprang forth from it appeared as though they were filling the sky—an image of overwhelming force unleashed in the battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos in war: disciplined strength and mastery of weapons used in a decisive moment. Ethically, it underscores how power in battle can overwhelm and intimidate, reminding the listener (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) of the consequences set in motion by adharma and the inevitability of retribution when conflict escalates.
Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s formidable bow—gold-backed and immense. When Bhīma draws the string, the bow forms a circular arc like a second rainbow, and the arrows released appear so numerous that they seem to fill the sky, conveying Bhīma’s ferocity and the intensity of the fighting.